Astra Burka’s inspiring documentary, Skate to Survive, sheds light on the remarkable journey of her mother, Ellen Burka, a renowned Canadian figure skating coach and choreographer. Ellen’s impressive achievements include guiding her daughter, Petra Burka, to become a World Figure Skating Champion and transforming the world of skating alongside her famous student, Toller Cranston. Despite facing challenges, Ellen’s unwavering passion and vitality enabled her to triumph over adversity and embody the spirit of resilience and renewal often found in many Canadian success stories.
Skate to Survive was recently showcased to the press at Toronto’s Royal Cinema. As part of the Signature Series, Rogers OMNI aired its television premiere a week ago on Sunday. This 60-minute film, presented in English, Dutch, and German with English subtitles, had its initial premiere at the Toronto Jewish Film Festival in May. The narration of the film is done by Ellen Burka herself.
The text emphasizes the significant aspects of her life: being the daughter of German-born, Dutch-based assimilated Jews who openly embraced Christmas and Easter while secretly observing the Jewish High Holidays, she explores modern dance and figure skating as a carefree young girl in pre-war Amsterdam; endures the atrocities of the Holocaust; becomes a Dutch national champion, relocates to Toronto, and ultimately attains global recognition in the world of skating.
Skate to Survive delves into the initial 44 years of Ellen Burka’s life, capturing her presence both in Toronto and Holland. The documentary showcases profound discussions between Ellen and her lifelong companions, Elsbeth Bon, an esteemed international skating judge, and Louis van Gasteren, a renowned Dutch documentary filmmaker.
Ellen, a lively red-headed senior citizen with a friendly personality, reminisces about the harrowing war experiences she had concealed for many years: the deportation of her Jewish family and her survival in the concentration camps of Westerbork and Theresienstadt. It was in Theresienstadt where she encountered her future husband, Czech artist Jan Burka. Following the war, they journeyed back to Holland together to start afresh
Jan’s desire to leave Europe and the Cold War behind led him to make the decision to move to Canada, despite the successes they had achieved in post-war Amsterdam. Although Ellen was hesitant, she ultimately chose to immigrate with her husband.
In a vivid manner, Ellen recounts the bohemian lifestyle she and Jan shared with their artist friends in 1950s Toronto. She also shares the challenges she faced as a single mother in 1960s Toronto and how she defied societal prejudices of the time to pursue a career in figure skating.
Interestingly, Ellen kept her war experiences and background a secret from her two daughters, Petra and Astra, until they reached the ages of 16 and 18 respectively.
She brought them up in the Christian faith to avoid antisemitism in 1960s Toronto, as she believed she wouldn’t have achieved fame as a skating coach if her Jewish heritage was known.
The movie showcases family photographs, skating scrapbooks saved during the war by her friend Elsbeth, and recently discovered film footage of Ellen and Elsbeth skating in the 1930s and 1940s, along with Super 8 skating films of Petra and Ellen to visually depict the era. The use of Strauss waltzes, jazz, piano, and violin music helps to recreate the ambiance of the past.
In 1978, Ellen Burka was honored with the Order of Canada for her contributions in transforming skating into an art form and for her innovative choreography on ice.
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